With more than 80% of analyzed companies demonstrating clear evidence of risk...forced labor is a serious issue in landscape architecture supply chains.
Dr. Franca Trubiano, University of Pennsylvania
Ivanna Dudych University of Pennsylvania Undergraduate Student
Ethically Sourcing the Ground is a collaborative research project funded by the Landscape Architecture Foundation, led by MNLA's research team and Dr. Franca Trubiano, Associate Professor of Architecture Chair at the University of Pennsylvania. It investigates the presence of forced labor in landscape architecture supply chains. Products ranging from food to clothing are produced under illegal and dangerous working conditions; the building industry is no different. MNLA’s research indicates clear levels of risk when specifying ubiquitous materials, such as permeable pavers, safety surfaces, synthetic turf, geotextiles, and plastic lumber. Using investigative approaches to trace the flow of materials across the globe, our research diagrams, maps, and evaluates the risk of forced labor for nearly 3 dozen companies. The results are startling and should be a wake-up call for all landscape designers and their clients.
With more than 80% of analyzed companies demonstrating clear evidence of risk...forced labor is a serious issue in landscape architecture supply chains.
